SECRETS - 20 Kefalonia secret treasures

1. The Hermitage of Saint Gerasimos: A Spiritual Retreat

   Everyone who visits the great monastery of our beloved Agios Gerasimos sees the magnificent new church and the silver casket holding his holy relics. They may even descend into the small church below to see where his body was first buried. But the true spiritual seeker must go further. The hermitage, or askitirio, is where the saint spent his final years in true ascetic solitude. It is not widely advertised, and you must ask for it. From the courtyard of the monastery, you follow a small, dusty path that winds up the hillside for about 200 meters. You will come to a small, humble-looking chapel built into the rock. Inside, it is cool and silent. The air itself feels different, heavy with centuries of prayer. To enter the actual hermitage, you must find a very narrow, dark passage, almost a crack in the rock. It's not for those who are claustrophobic! You descend a steep, ladder-like staircase down into a small, subterranean cave. This is it. This is where he lived. There is nothing but bare rock and a small space where he would have slept and prayed. There is no electric light, only the flicker of a candle and perhaps a shaft of light from above. To stand in that space is to feel a direct connection to his incredible faith and austerity. It's a profoundly humbling experience, a world away from the busy monastery below. We locals go there not as a tourist attraction, but when we need a moment of deep, personal reflection.
   

2. Vatsa Bay: A Rustic Coastal Escape

   Vatsa is one of my secret spots on the Paliki peninsula, a place I go when I want to show a friend what Kefalonia felt like 30 years ago. It’s not just a beach; it’s a whole atmosphere. You drive down a narrow country road, and suddenly you emerge at a tiny river estuary that flows into the sea. The beach itself is a curve of soft, reddish sand, and the water is ridiculously shallow and calm, making it absolutely perfect for families with small children. But the heart of Vatsa is Spiros's taverna. It's not on the shore; it is the shore. The tables are literally on the sand, under the shade of tamarisk trees. Spiros is a real character, and his taverna is an institution. He has a self-service system for wine—you just go and fill your carafe from the barrel. The food is simple, honest, and delicious, straight from the sea or his garden. He even has a small, hand-pulled pontoon ferry to take you across the tiny river to the other side of the beach. It’s wonderfully eccentric. The little chapel of Agios Nikolaos is just a short walk away, a simple white-washed building where local fishermen leave their offerings. Vatsa is not about organised sunbeds or loud music; it's about the simple joy of sun, sand, good food, and a pace of life that is blessedly, wonderfully slow.
   

3. Chavriata Village: The Balcony of the Ionian

   Chavriata is a place of immense pride for those of us from the Paliki peninsula. We call it the "Balcony of the Ionian" for a reason. Perched high on a ridge, the views are simply staggering. On a clear day, you can see the entire southern sweep of Kefalonia, across the sea to the island of Zakynthos, and even the coast of the Peloponnese in the far distance. It is a place that makes you feel on top of the world. But Chavriata is more than a viewpoint. It has a fierce, independent spirit. The village was known for its hardworking farmers, and before the 1953 earthquake, it was a bustling hub. The earthquake hit this area particularly hard. What you see today is a village rebuilt with grit and determination. It’s a quiet place now, with a beautiful central square and a couple of traditional kafeneia. It’s the home village of the famous 19th-century journalist and social reformer, Vikentios Damodos, a fact the locals are very proud of. To truly experience Chavriata, drive up there in the late afternoon. Have a coffee in the square, feel the gentle breeze, and then drive the short distance to the Gerogompos Lighthouse to watch the sunset. It is a place that connects you to the sky, the sea, and the resilient spirit of the Kefalonian people.
   

4. Kampana Square: Echoes of the Past

   Every time I walk through Kampana Square in Argostoli, I feel the history under my feet. Today, it’s a pleasant, quiet square with some cafes and shops, a little off the main Lithostroto pedestrian street. But this was once the true centre of Venetian and later British Argostoli. The bell tower, the Kampana, was the town clock, the information hub, and the warning system. Its bell would ring to call people to gather, to announce news, or to warn of a fire or a pirate raid. The original tower was a beautiful, ornate structure, the pride of the city. It was utterly destroyed in the 1953 earthquake. The tower you see today is a modern reconstruction, built in 1985. But crucially, the original bell, which miraculously survived the collapse, was re-hung in the new tower. When you stand beneath it, look up. That bell is a direct link to the pre-earthquake city, the city of our grandfathers. It is a powerful symbol of our survival and rebirth. The square itself was a place of justice; public punishments were carried out here. It was a place of commerce and social life. It’s a quiet echo now, but if you sit and listen, you can almost hear the ghosts of old Argostoli.
   

5. Agia Kyriaki Beach: A Secluded Paradise

   Agia Kyriaki is a secret that is slowly getting out, but it still retains its wild charm. It's a long, beautiful stretch of fine white pebbles and sand, located at the mouth of a dramatic gorge, not far from the village of Agonas. The water here is a mesmerising shade of light turquoise, so clear it feels like a swimming pool. What makes it special is its dual personality. One end of the beach, the part you arrive at first, has a few sunbeds and a couple of excellent, no-frills tavernas. You can have fresh fish with your feet almost in the water. But the secret is to turn right and walk. The further you walk along the beach, the quieter it gets. After a few hundred meters, you will feel completely alone. You can find your own private spot under the shelter of the cliffs. There is even a small part of the beach further along that is unofficially nudist, a sign of its seclusion. For the more adventurous, you can rent a small boat or a kayak here and explore the stunning coastline towards Myrtos, discovering tiny coves that are completely inaccessible by land. It is a beach that offers both convenience and the feeling of true, wild escape.
   

6. Old Vlachata Village: A Ghostly Reminiscence

   We have spoken of this before, but it deserves a deeper look. Visiting Old Vlachata, near Sami, is not a typical holiday activity; it is a pilgrimage into our island's most defining moment. It is essential to go in the right frame of mind—with respect and quiet contemplation. What you find is not just rubble. You find the skeletons of a once-thriving community. You can trace the village streets, now overgrown with fig trees and bougainvillea. You can step inside a ruined house and see the hearth where a family once cooked, the stone niches where they kept their oil lamps. You can find the crumbling remains of the village's olive press, its massive millstones now covered in moss. The most poignant spot is the ruins of the church, its bell tower still partially standing against the sky. Nature is slowly, beautifully, and relentlessly reclaiming the stone. In the spring, it is a riot of wildflowers. In the summer, the air is thick with the buzz of cicadas. It is not a sad place, not anymore. It is a place of profound peace and a powerful testament to the fact that even after the most devastating destruction, life, in new forms, continues.
   

7. Cyclops Cave: Myth and Mystery

   This place is pure magic for anyone who grew up with the stories of Homer. The Cyclops Cave, or Spilaio tou Kyklopa, is located on the coast not far from Sami. Finding it requires a bit of a hike, but that is part of the adventure. While there is no definitive archaeological proof that this was Polyphemus's home, when you stand at its mouth, it is impossible not to believe it. The cave is a gaping maw in the side of a cliff, looking out over the sea towards Ithaca. The view is epic, exactly the kind of vista you would expect from a mythological tale. Inside, the cave is vast and rugged. You need a good torch and sturdy shoes to explore it properly. Archaeologists have found evidence of ancient worship here, long before Homer's time, suggesting it has always been a place of power and mystery. For me, the real magic is not what is inside the cave, but the feeling you get standing at its entrance, looking out at the sea, with the wind in your hair. You can almost hear the bleating of the giant's sheep and feel the presence of Odysseus and his men, plotting their escape. It is a place where myth feels intensely, tangibly real.
   

8. Kounopetra: The Rock That Moved

   Kounopetra, the "moving rock," is one of Kefalonia's great eccentricities. It's located at the very southern tip of the Paliki peninsula. Today, you will see a large slab of rock in the sea, a few meters from the shore. It doesn't look like much. But you have to imagine it as it was before the 1953 earthquake. This rock used to move. It had a slow, rhythmic, perpetual motion. Local legend said it was powered by sea spirits. Scientists who studied it in the 19th century concluded that its movement was due to the unique stratification of the seabed and the pressure of the waves. It became quite famous, a genuine natural curiosity. Then, the great earthquake of 1953 struck. The seismic shock shifted the seabed, and the rock's base became fixed. It stopped moving forever. It is still a beautiful, quiet spot to visit, with a small, peaceful beach nearby. But when you look at that silent, motionless rock, you are looking at a scar of the earthquake, a reminder that the very ground beneath our feet is alive and can change in an instant. It is a monument to the island's dynamic and sometimes violent geological soul.
   

9. Katavothres: Nature's Enigma

   The Katavothres is a place that demonstrates the pure geological weirdness of my island. It’s located just a short, pleasant walk from the centre of Argostoli, near the lighthouse. What you witness is bizarre: you see the sea, the salty Ionian, flowing inland. It pours into sinkholes and disappears into the earth. For over a century, this was one of Europe's great geological mysteries. Where did the water go? In 1963, Austrian geologists solved it by pouring a large amount of fluorescent dye into the sinkholes. Two weeks later, traces of the dye appeared on the other side of the island, emerging in the brackish waters of Melissani Cave and Karavomilos Lake, over 15 kilometers away. The seawater travels through a vast, undiscovered network of subterranean tunnels right under the island. The old watermill you see at the site, which was rebuilt, used to be powered by this constant flow of seawater—a sea-powered mill! It’s a fascinating, mind-bending place to spend half an hour, watching nature perform a trick that seems to defy the laws of physics.
   

10. Petani Beach at Sunset: A Visual Symphony

    Everyone talks about the sunset in Oia on Santorini, but let me tell you, the sunset at Petani beach is just as spectacular, and infinitely more peaceful. Petani is Myrtos's wilder, more dramatic sister. It's a grand sweep of white pebbles under towering cliffs on the west-facing coast of the Paliki peninsula. During the day, it's a magnificent beach for swimming. But as the afternoon wears on, a transformation begins. The crowds thin out. The day-trippers leave. The atmosphere becomes calm and reverent. The sun begins its slow descent directly in front of you, over the open sea. The colours are impossible. The sky turns from blue to gold, to orange, to fiery red, to deep purple. These colours reflect off the surface of the calm water and illuminate the white faces of the cliffs. It is a 360-degree spectacle of light. There are a couple of tavernas on the beach where you can sit with a cool drink and watch the show. Unlike other famous sunset spots, there is no jostling for position, no applause. There is just a shared, silent awe as the sun finally kisses the horizon and disappears. It is a truly spiritual experience.
    

11. De Bosset Bridge: Europe's Longest Stone Sea Bridge

    The De Bosset Bridge, or the Drapano Bridge as we locals call it, is more than just a bridge; it’s the defining feature of the Argostoli bay. It’s hard to imagine the city without it. When it was built by the Swiss engineer Charles De Bosset during the British protectorate, it was a revolutionary project. It transformed the journey from the town to the villages opposite from a long, arduous trip around the lagoon into a short walk. In the centre of the bridge, you will see a small, four-sided obelisk. This was erected to commemorate its construction. The bridge is now fully pedestrianised, and walking along it is one of the simple pleasures of being in Argostoli. In the morning, you can watch the fishermen in the lagoon and look for the famous Caretta-Caretta turtles, who often swim in the calm waters. At night, its gentle lighting makes for a wonderfully romantic stroll. It is a beautiful, functional piece of history that we use every day, a constant and elegant reminder of our island’s multicultural past.
    

12. Karavomilos Lake: A Geological Marvel

    Karavomilos is the beautiful, serene final act of the Katavothres mystery. After travelling underground across the entire island, the seawater, now mixed with freshwater, emerges here, in this idyllic spot just a kilometre from Sami. The lake itself is stunningly picturesque, surrounded by a ring of eucalyptus and reeds. There is a large, old waterwheel that turns slowly, powered by the water flowing from the lake back into the sea just a few meters away. The water is crystal clear, and you can see the shoals of fish and the ducks that call this place home. There is a wonderful taverna right on the edge of the lake, making it a perfect spot for a peaceful lunch or coffee. It is the opposite of the dramatic disappearance of the water at Katavothres; here, everything is about a calm, gentle reappearance. Visiting Katavothres in the morning and then driving across to Karavomilos for lunch is a fantastic way to experience the full, amazing story of Kefalonia's unique hydrogeology.
    

13. Mantzavinata Village: A Toast to Tradition

    This village is all about wine! The very name, Mantzavinata, feels like it has the taste of grapes in it, and the history here is deeply rooted in viticulture. Located in the south of the Paliki peninsula, this area has a long tradition of making strong, robust red wines, very different from the more famous white Robola. The village comes alive in August for its annual wine festival. This is not a polished, touristy event; it's a real, traditional village panigiri. They set up long tables in the village square, the local producers bring out barrels of their homemade wine, and it flows freely all night. There is grilled souvlaki, live traditional music, and dancing until the early hours. It is a wonderfully boisterous and joyful celebration of the harvest and the community's heritage. Even if you are not there for the festival, it's worth driving through the village to see the old houses and the surrounding vineyards. It’s a place that reminds you that before tourism, the lifeblood of this island came directly from its soil.
    

14. Gerogompos Lighthouse: Beacon of the West

    Standing at the Gerogompos Lighthouse feels like standing at the edge of the world. It is perched on a dramatic, windswept cliff at the westernmost point of the island. The structure itself is a classic, handsome lighthouse, a testament to the skill of its British engineers. The journey to get there is part of the experience, along a narrow road that winds through the rugged landscape of Paliki. The real reason to come here is for the view. The cliffs drop sheer into the churning sea below, and you have an uninterrupted, 180-degree panorama of the Ionian Sea. It is one of the most powerful and elemental places on the island. As I have said, it is an incredible spot to watch the sunset, often with just the sound of the wind and the waves for company. It feels ancient and remote, a place where you can feel the full force of nature and the vastness of the sea.
    

15. Korgialenios Library: A Cultural Treasure Trove

    In the heart of Argostoli, the Korgialenios Library and its accompanying museum are the keepers of our island's soul and memory. For anyone who wants to understand Kefalonia beyond its beaches, a visit here is essential. The building itself is a beautiful, imposing neoclassical structure, one of the grand buildings of Argostoli that was rebuilt after the earthquake. The library holds an incredible collection of rare books, manuscripts, and the archives of prominent Kefalonian families. It tells the story of our island's rich intellectual and cultural life. But for most visitors, the real treasure is the Folklore Museum in the same building. Here, you can step back in time. You will see recreated rooms of pre-earthquake Kefalonian homes, filled with original furniture, tools, and clothing. There are exhibits on traditional farming, lacemaking, and religious life. You can see the grand dresses of the urban aristocracy and the humble tools of the village farmer. It is a vivid, moving, and beautifully curated journey into the world we lost in 1953.
    

16. Mount Ainos National Park: Home of the Wild Horses

    Mount Ainos is our island's great, green heart. It is a world away from the sun-drenched coast. As you drive up, the landscape changes. The olive groves give way to the unique, dark-green Kefalonian Fir (Abies Cephalonica), a species that grows only here. The air becomes cool and smells of pine. The mountain was made a National Park to protect this unique forest. But the most magical part of Ainos is the semi-wild horses. They are not a distinct breed, but descendants of domestic horses that were released into the wild generations ago. They are sturdy, beautiful animals, and seeing them roaming free among the fir trees is an unforgettable experience. There is no guarantee you will spot them; they are wild, after all. But your best chance is to drive slowly along the main road through the park towards the summit, scanning the clearings in the forest. Hiking one of the marked trails not only gives you a chance to see the horses but also offers the most breathtaking views on the island. From the peak, you can see almost all of Kefalonia laid out at your feet.
    

17. Drogarati Cave: Nature's Subterranean Concert Hall

    If Melissani Cave is about light and water, Drogarati is about sound and stone. The experience begins with the descent, down a long, cool staircase that takes you 60 meters underground. You emerge into a vast chamber, a natural cathedral that is over 2 million years old. The scale of it is awe-inspiring. The ceiling is a dense forest of rust-coloured stalactites, formed drop by drop over millennia. From the floor, massive stalagmites rise up to meet them. The highlight is the main chamber, known as the "Sala of Apotheosis." It's a huge space with a flat floor and incredible acoustics. The sound is so pure that it has been used for concerts. The famous opera singer Maria Callas even performed here. Standing in the middle of that chamber and singing a single note, or even just clapping your hands, and hearing the sound resonate perfectly in the ancient darkness is a truly unique experience. It is a cool, silent, and deeply impressive journey into the depths of the earth.
    

18. Fiskardo: A Village Preserved in Time

    Fiskardo is our island's supermodel. It is undeniably beautiful, and it knows it. The reason it is so special is a miracle of geography. It was the one village that was almost completely untouched by the 1953 earthquake. So, when you walk through Fiskardo, you are not seeing a reconstruction; you are seeing the real thing. You are walking through a genuine 18th-century Venetian port village. The elegant, pastel-coloured houses, with their terracotta roofs and wooden balconies, crowd around the beautiful, protected harbour. The waterfront is lined with chic cafes, excellent restaurants, and sophisticated boutiques. In the summer, the harbour is filled with gleaming yachts from all over the world. It has a very cosmopolitan, glamorous atmosphere. But to find its real soul, you must wander away from the busy waterfront. Explore the quiet back alleys, find the old neighbourhood bakery, and look for the remnants of the past, like the ancient Roman cemetery that was discovered just behind the village. It is a stunningly beautiful place, a window into a Kefalonia that, elsewhere, exists only in photographs and memories.
    

19. Old Vlachata Village: Echoes of the Past

    My apologies, my friend, it seems the ghost of Old Vlachata has appeared twice on our list! Its presence is so strong on the island, it seems it wanted to be mentioned again. As we have discussed, this hauntingly beautiful site near Sami is not just a collection of ruins, but a living museum of our island's resilience. Walking its silent, overgrown streets is a profound experience, a tangible connection to the moment that forever changed our world. Each crumbling wall and empty window frame tells a story, making it a place of deep reflection and a powerful counterpoint to the vibrant life of the coastal resorts. It is a secret that reveals the true depth of the Kefalonian story.

    
    

20. The Forgotten Olive Mill of Tzanata: A Whisper from Kefalonia’s Agrarian Past

    Now this… this is a true secret. This is not a place you will find in any guide. Tou Mourtzoukou to liotrivi! My grandfather used to talk about it. The village of Tzanata is already off the beaten path, a quiet place known mostly for the magnificent Mycenaean tholos tomb that was excavated nearby. But this old olive mill, or liotrivi, is a hidden gem within a hidden gem. You have to ask a local in the village kafeneion to point you in the right direction. It’s a short walk from the village, tucked away behind a grove of ancient, gnarled olive trees. The building is stone, its roof long gone, but the walls are sturdy. Inside, it is like stepping into a photograph. The massive, heavy millstones used to crush the olives lie tilted on the floor. You can see the remains of the huge wooden screw press. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth, old wood, and the faint, ghostly smell of olive oil that seems to have soaked into the very stones. It is a profoundly atmospheric place. It speaks of a time of hard manual labour, of a community that lived and died by the rhythm of the olive harvest. Standing there in the silence, you can almost hear the creak of the press and the chatter of the workers. It is a poignant, forgotten monument to the agricultural soul of our island.